Prem Rawat was invited by Gianni Pittella, First Vice President of the European Union, to share his vision of peace at a special event called “Words of Peace for Europe,” held at the EU Parliament House in Brussels on June 29, 2010. Mr. Rawat spoke to a diverse audience of diplomats, local leaders, and other honored guests from many countries.

Mr. Rawat’s remarks offered a clear and challenging perspective. “If we have the power to make such a mess out of this earth, then certainly we have enough power to bring peace to this earth, too,” he said. “The question remains whether or not it is something that we want to do, because peace begins with every one of you. It is individual human beings who need peace; it is individual human beings in whom the desire resides; and it is on the individual human being’s stage that peace needs to dance.”

On June 24, Prem Rawat was greeted by an enthusiastic audience in the Theatre Verdi of Padua’s town hall. A city of over 200,000 people, Padua is located on the Bacchiglione River near Venice. Home of the renowned Universita’ di Padova, where Galileo Galilei once lectured, it is one of the oldest cities in northern Italy. The event itself took place under the patronage of Padua Province, the Veneto Region, and the Ministry of Justice.

Anna Milvia Boselli, member of the Padua City Council, welcomed Prem Rawat on behalf of the city and later presented him with the seal of Padua. Province Alderman Leandro Comacchio conveyed greetings from Padua Province emphasizing that, after hearing about Prem Rawat for over 30 years from a friend of his, he was very happy to finally be able to hear him speak in person. 

In the peaceful village of Sondrio, Italy, in the foothills of the Alps, government officials and townspeople alike gathered to honor Prem Rawat’s efforts to encourage world peace: a peace that begins with each individual.

On the invitation of the Sondrio Town Hall and under the patronage of the Province of Sondrio, the Lombardy Region, and the Ministry of Justice, Prem Rawat arrived in this northern city on June 22, 2010. In a private meeting of the Sondrio City Council, officials graciously awarded him the title “Ambassador of Peace in the World” and presented him with a symbolic gift from the nearby city of Tirano as well as a plaque from Lombardy adorned with the official symbol of the region, the Camuna Rose.

Prem Rawat has been an honored guest at three events in Europe in the last week:

Sondrio, Italy

On June 22 in the Piazza Garibaldi, a peaceful village square lying in the heart of the city of Sondrio, Italy, in the foothills of the Alps, Prem Rawat was greeted by the town's mayor, Alcide Molteni, along with Marina Cotelli, Town Hall Alderman. One reporter quoted Prem Rawat as saying, "Peace is not impossible; it is very possible. From personal fulfillment to our collective compassion for humanity, we can make tremendous strides."